Safety strap saddle



July 8, 1969 R. w. OWEN 3,453,695

SAFETY STRAP SADDLE Filegd Feb. 20, 1968 sheet of s July s, 1969 l?? of 5 Sheet Filed Feb. 20. 1968 N @N KN wm. QNWMJ y w wir ff gmx! M JUIYS, 1969 l A R. w. owl-:N 3,453,695

SAFETY STRAP SADDLE Filed Feb. 20. 1958 sheet 3 of s United States Patent O Int. ci. Bssd 6'3/06 U.s. c1. 24--22 s claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A protective pad for use in combination with strapping means employed for binding metal coils wherein the sleeve portion of the strapping means is seated within the pad and, therefore, is prevented from marring the coil to be bound or the coils tiered upon it.

Background of the invention This is a continuation-in-par-t of application Ser. No. 617,275 filed Feb. 20, 1967 and now abandoned.

This invention relates to steel strapping means for binding large coils of steel and other metals and particularly to a device for preventing the marring of the coils by the strapping means.

In the manufacture and storage of sheet steel and other material, it is customary that the metal be rolled into coils weighing up to 60,000 lbs. or more. yIn order to maintain the sheet metal in the coiled form, one or more steel straps are wrapped around the coil and are joined together at their ends by means of a seal or the like. The straps are either wound around the periphery of the coil or are fed through the core of the coil and then around the outside edges and surface of the coil. In either method or when both methods are combined, the ends of straps are secured -together by having one end fed through a` seal or steel Sleeve and then being bent back under the sleeve. The other end of the strap is then fitted through the sleeve and, by means of a tensioning device, the strap is tightened around the coil. When the proper tension in the strap has been achieved, the sleeve is crimped at one or more points and thereby secures the strap in the proper position with the proper tension.

It has been found that when a number of coils have been bound in the above described manner and are stored by nesting one on top of the other, the steel straps and sleeves are forced against the coiled material and there lfrequently occurs a marring or mutilation of one or more convolutions of the coil. Marring or mutilation of the coil also occurs in the incidental handling of a single coil such as in rolling, dropping or the like. The lighter the gauge and/or softer the material, the more convolutions are effected. fIn some instances, and particularly where the weight of the coils is great, the steel strap and sleeve have been known to dis'gure as many as ten convolutions of the coiled material. When such marring or multilation occurs, it is necessary to either rework the damaged portion of the coil or discard it.

ice

Summary of the invention In the present invention, a protective pad of a plastic material such as nylon, polystyrene, polypropylene, polyethylene or another material substantially softer than the coiled material is employed in combination with the steel strap and sleeve. The pad includes a channel in which the two ends of the strap and the sleeve are received and also includes means to maintain the strap and sleeve in the channel. The channel is deep enough so that the sleeve, when received in the channel, will not come in contact with other coils. The protective pad of the present invention does not interfere with the use of the commonly employed tensioning device. Where the tensioning device is of such a configuration that it will not allow for the tensioning of the strap when the strap is seated in the pad, the channel can be widened to accommodate the tensioning device. Although the present invention is as readily employed for binding metals stored in plate Iform as in coiled form, the `discussion herein will be limited to coils for ease in understanding.

Brief description 0f the drawings The subject invention will be more fully understood by reference to the following description and drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of a bound coil of metal employing the pad of the subject invention;

FIGURE 2 is an elevation of a plurality of stacked coils;

FIGURE 3 is an isometric View of an embodiment of the subject invention;

FIGURE 4 is an isometric View of the subject invention as used in combination with a strap and sleeve;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken along lines 5 5 o-f FIG-URIE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view of an alternative method of employing the subject invention;

lFlIGURE 7 is a sectional view of an alternative method of employing the subject invention;

FIGURE 8 is an isometric view of an embodiment of the subject invention; and

FIGURE 9 is a sectional view taken along the lines 9 9 of FIGURE 8.

Description ofthe preferred embodiment Referring now to the drawings and FIGURES 1 and 2 in particular, a coil of metal 10 is shown secured in the coiled form by means of straps 11 and sleeves 12. Coils 10 are protected from being mar-red by str-aps 11 and sleeves 12 when stacked, as shown in FIGURE 2, by means of the protective pad 15.

Referring now to FIGURES 3, 4 and 5, the protective pad 15 of the subject invention is made of plastic or like material and includes a channel 21 extending from one edge 22 of pad 15 to the other edge 23, said channel 21 having a shoulder Iportion Z4 at either end'of said channel and a central portion 26. Central portion 26 is depressed with relation to shoulder portions 24.

The central portion 26 includes -a series of slots 28, 29

3 and 31 defining flap element 27. Slots 28 and 29 are parallel to edges 22 and 23 and edge 31 iS perpendicular O edges 22 and 23.

In the use of the protective pad 15, one end 35 of strap 11 is inserted through sleeve 12 -funtil approximately 2" have passed completely through sleeve 12. End 35 is then folded back approximately 120 under sleeve 12 and is fed through slot 29 and under flap 27. End 36 of strap 11 is then inserted through sleeve 12. A tensioning device (not shown) is then employed to tighten the strap 11 around coil until the sleeve 12 is urged into the confines of channel 21. The sleeve 12 is -then pinched or crimped with appropriate means to prevent ends 35 or 36 from slipping out of sleeve 12.

Referring to FIGURES 8 and 9, there is shown a protective pad 40 including a channel 41 and tapered lip portions 42 and 43 extending to edges 42 and 43 respectively. Lip portions 42 and 43 are tapered to allow strap 11 (not shown here) to properly engage pad 40. Where the diameter of coil 10 is relatively small, the pad itself may create a similarly relatively large protrusion from the surface of the coil, requiring the strap to bridge the step from the surface of the coil to the edge of the pad without -Suicient support under the bridging portion of strap 11. As is shown in FIGURES 4, 5, 6 and 7, there exists a small length of strap between the edge of the protective pad and the surface of coil 10 which is not in contact with the coil or the protective pad. The tapered lip portions 42' and 43 may be provided to increase the support of strap 11. Also, the seating of some tensioning devices may be hampered or cause the pad to be displaced yfrom proper alignment where the -tensioning device must slide over an abrupt edge of the pad. Tapering of the edges alleviates this problem.

Included in channel 41 of pad 40 are slots 46 and 47 parallel 4to edges 42 and 43 and which slots are of suicient width to receive `the ends 35 and 36 of strap 11 such as in the manner shown in FIGURE 5. Cutout portions 48 and 49 of protective pad 40 are to allow for the seating of a tensioning device. rIhe shape of cutou-ts 48 and 49 may be adapted to suit the tensioning device employed.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, and where, for example, it is desired to bind and protect a coil of cold rolled carbon steel weighing 3,000 lbs. having an outside diameter of 4 and a width of 38", the protective pad 40 is made of polyethylene or other material softer than the coiled material, yet strong enough to withstand the weight of the coils and the transmitted force from the steel strap while retaining strap 11 and sleeve 12. Pad 40 is approximately thick, 71A" long and 5 M1" wide in order to accommodate steel straps 1% wide and a steel sleeve 2" long. Channel 41 is 35716 wide and 4% long. Tapered lip portions 42 and 43 are each 1/2" wide and have a thickness of %4" at edge 42 and 43 and a width of '/32 adjacent channel 41. Cutout portions 48 and 49 are of a width suflicient to allow for the tensioning of strap 11 and crimping of sleeve 12 once sleeve 12 is seated in channel 41. Slots 46 and 47 are 35/16" long and l/s Wide.

The ends 35 and 36 of strap 11 may be lthreaded in a number af alternative ways through the slots in protective pads 15 and 40, so long as the method in which strap 11 and the protective pads cooperate allow for the proper seating of the sleeves in the channels 21 or 41 respectively.

In the preferred embodiment, for use with either pad 15 or pad 40, strap 11 and sleeve 12 cooperate with the pad in the manner heretofore described with reference to FIGURE 5. Alternative threading methods are shown in FIGURES 6 and 7 and are described below when pad 1S is used. It is understood, however, that such methods can be employed with pad 40.

In FIGURE 6, end 35 is passed under pad 15, up past slot 28 `and inserted through sleeve 12 and folded under sleeve 12. End 36 is brought up through slot 29 from under pad 15 and is inserted in sleeve 12. When the force generated by the tensioning device is exerted, the strap 11 will not only be drawn tightly around coil 10, but end 35 will lie at between sleeve 12 and central portion 26 while sleeve 12 will be properly seated in channel 21.

In FIGURE 7, end 35 is laid over shoulder 24 and threaded under flap 27. End 35 is then bent back approxi- -mately inserted through sleeve 12 and bent back under sleeve 12. End 36 is placed over shoulder 24 and directly through sleeve 12. Sufficient tension is applied to strap 11 to seat sleeve 12 in central portion 26 and secure the coiled material.

Although reference has been made with respect to protective pad 1S, shown in FIGURE 3, -as having a ap 27 adapted to receive and secure one or both ends of strap 11 to pad 15, a similar effect can be achieved by using one or more slots located in central portion 26 rather than ap 27, such as is shown by aps 46 and 47 in FIGURE 8. The utilization of a flap 27 may be more convenient when threading arrangements, such as is illustrated in FIGURES 6 and 7, are employed. Two slots, parallel to the edges of t-he pads, are included in each of the embodiments here shown, for the purpose of illustrating an arrangement of slots suitable for the majority of threading methods. In the threading method described with reference to FIGURE 5, only one slot is necessary.

What is claimed is:

1. A protective pad for use in combination with strapping means for binding material wherein said means includes a strap and a sleeve adapted to receive the ends of said strap and secure them together, said pad being of substantially softer material than the material to be bound and comprising:

a first edge and a second edge;

there being a continuous channel extending from said first edge to said second edge; said channel adapted to receive said sleeve and said channel being of sulficient depth so that said sleeve does not extend above said channel when received therein.

2. A protective pad for use in combination with strapping means for binding material wherein said means includes a strap and a sleeve adapted to receive the ends of said strap and secure said ends together, said pad being of substantially softer material than the material to be bound and comprising:

a first edge and a second edge;

there being a continuous channel extending from said first edge to said second edge, said channel of sufficient depth so that said sleeve does not extend above said channel when received therein; and

means located in said channel for retaining said sleeve in said channel.

3. The protective pad described in claim 2 wherein said means for retaining said sleeve in said channel consists of a rst shoulder portion extending from said first edge;

a second shoulder portion extending from said second edge;

a central portion located between said first and said second shoulder portions and being depressed with respect thereto; and

there being at least one slot located in said central portion, said slot being of suicient dimension to receive one end of said strap.

4. A protective pad for use in combination with strapping means for binding material wherein said means includes a strap and a sleeve adapted to receive the ends of said strap and secure them together, said pad being of substantially softer material than the material to be bound and comprising:

a central portion having a continuous channel extending therethrough, said channel of sufficient depth so that said sleeve does not extend above said channel when received therein;

a first tapered lip portion emanating from one side of said central portion and perpendicular to said continuous channel;

a second tapered lip portion emanating from the opposite side of the central portion and perpendicular to said continuous channel; and

means located in said channel for retaining said sleeve in said channel.

5. The protective pad described in claim 4 wherein said means for retaining said sleeve in the channel consists of at least one slot parallel to said first and second tapered lip portion and being of sufficient size to receive the end of said strap.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATE-NTS 4/1905 1l/l928 12/1936 l2/1936 10/1964 Fleenor 24-22 Lampert.

Porter 206-60 Burke.

Anderson 206-60 Smith 206-60 X U.S. Cl. X.R. 

